Amarnath Yatra gets a new environmental mantra…

Bol Bam, yatra maarg ko kachra mukt rakhenge hum

• ‘Swaha’ is making the Amarnath Yatra clean

• Jammu & Kashmir: Indore-based startup Swaha is making the Amarnath Yatra route zero-landfill, garbage-free, for the fourth consecutive year.

Pahalgam/Indore: Shri Amarnath Yatra has begun. The Yatra is a symbol of faith and devotion. Now, cleanliness is also becoming a part of this devotion. Pilgrims are now chanting a new mantra — Bol Bam, yatra maarg ko kachra mukt rakhenge hum. This sacred journey has been linked with environmental care and cleanliness by Indore’s startup Swaha. The vision of a zero-landfill (garbage-free) yatra is being turned into reality by Swaha. For the past four years, Swaha has been working to keep the Amarnath Yatra route garbage-free. The Directorate of Rural Sanitation, Jammu & Kashmir, has entrusted this work to Swaha! This year, it is estimated that around 550 tons of waste will be generated along the route.

RDD and Panchayati Raj Secretary IAS Mr. Aijaz Asad and DG of Directorate of Rural Sanitation Mrs. Anoo Malhotra stated that in previous yatras, large amounts of waste used to be dumped on the mountains. Over the past four years, this picture has changed. Now, after the yatra, the entire Amarnath Yatra route looks garbage-free. This task has been accomplished by the team from Indore’s startup Swaha. Now the mountains and rivers along the yatra route are free from plastic and filth.

Swaha co-founder Sameer Sharma stated that this is the fourth consecutive year that Swaha, along with the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, is committed to making this mission successful by cleaning the mountains and valleys. The goal of this campaign is a zero-waste yatra, meaning no visible waste should remain after the journey. Among Swaha’s founders are two IITians, Jwalan Shah and Rohit Agrawal. Rohit mentioned that the biggest challenge was food waste generated from langars. Langar operators used to dump leftover food and other waste either on the mountains or into the river. To tackle this, the Swaha team is training langar operators on waste segregation so compost can be made from it. Swaha will not collect mixed waste. This ensures that wet and dry waste is separated at the source itself.

Jwalan mentioned that incoming pilgrims are being made aware. Free cloth bags are being distributed from the base camp to the cave during the yatra. This is aimed at minimizing the use of single-use plastic.

Swaha’s new eco-friendly initiatives in Amarnath Yatra 2025
Indore-based startup Swaha, working across India for cleanliness and sustainable development, has launched a unique initiative in this year’s Amarnath Yatra.

Swaha has developed a machine that runs mechanically with a pedal — no electricity needed. It’s somewhat like a bicycle.

The zero-waste landfill campaign is not just limited to cleanliness — Swaha is also training local Kashmiri youth, engaging them in environmental conservation efforts, and offering employment opportunities.

Swaha co-founder Sameer Sharma said the main goal of this initiative is not just waste disposal, but to change the mindset of the pilgrims, so that they themselves feel responsible and avoid the use of plastic.

During the Amarnath Yatra, Swaha plans to process around 550 tons of waste, with a major focus on plastic bottles and pouches.
Pilgrims will be encouraged to carry steel bottles and cloth bags.

This machine built by Swaha’s engineers, and the commitment of its technical team and local youth, stands as an example of how India is solving environmental challenges with its own resources and determination.

How the Clean Yatra was made possible

Under the initiative of the Jammu & Kashmir administration to make the Amarnath Yatra zero-waste, Swaha has been working in collaboration with the administration for the past four years. As a result, the Rural Development Department of J&K has turned the garbage-free pilgrimage into a campaign. The local administration and officers are running this drive on the lines of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Under this campaign, pilgrims are being prohibited from carrying plastic and polythene.

A full waste collection and disposal mechanism has been deployed on the yatra route.

Arrangements have been made to collect all waste within 2 to 3 hours from the yatra route and recycle it.
The aim of this campaign is to preserve the mountains, vegetation, and glaciers.

From Waste to Wonder — Turning Waste into the Best at Amarnath Yatra
Swaha trains local youth to collect and recycle waste.

Compost made from waste is sent to farmers and local municipal councils.

For this, on-spot segregation (plastic separated from organic waste) and processing units have been set up.

From the wet waste generated at langars, organic compost will be made right in Baltal and Pahalgam and distributed in packets to pilgrims.